The New York Times (NYT) said it has bought popular online guessing game Wordle for a cost in the low seven figures.
Originally created by UK-born software engineer Josh Wardle for his wife, the puzzle has rocketed in the number of players since its launch in October, with millions of daily users attempting to figure out the new five-letter word in six or fewer attempts.
The NYT said it will "initially remain free” of charge to play as it moves over to the NYT, and no changes will be made yet.
“As part of our portfolio of games, Wordle will have an exciting future with the help of a team of talented engineers, designers, editors and more, furthering the user experience,” said Johnathan Knight, general manager for the NYT.
Wardle added: “If you’ve followed along with the story of Wordle, you’ll know that New York Times Games play a big part in its origins, and so this step feels very natural to me.”
The purchase of Wordle is the second acquisition confirmed by the paper this year, following the US$550mln deal to buy sports news outlet The Athletic, one of its largest ever acquisitions.